The present invention relates generally to the field of applying biological specimens analytic plates.
Standard microscope slides and diagnostic plates are thin, typically rectangular, sheets of glass, ceramic, or plastic. In use, a sample comprising an aqueous or non-aqueous liquid, liquid reagent, biological fluid and/or biological tissue section(s) is placed upon a portion of the slide or diagnostic glass plate. Before analysis, the sample on the slide or plate may be dried, placed in a fixative, or remain fresh prior to treatment for enhanced visualization by light, electron, or fluorescent microscopy, and/or including gross analysis with the human eye. The sample may be analyzed in its natural state or may need treatment with one or more liquid dyes to enhance visualization. Further treatment with molecular biological techniques may include, for example, treatment by monoclonal, polyclonal antibodies, in-situ hybridization by molecular probes, and/or their liquid detection reagents. During routine analysis or manipulation of a slide or plate, the sample or liquid reagent may spill from the slide, run or migrate onto other portions of the slide, and/or “wick off” if the slide touches another object, thus resulting in a loss of all or part of the liquid sample or reagent. It is desirous to avoid such inadvertent or undesired mixing or contamination of different samples or liquid reagents.
It is therefore beneficial for the slide or diagnostic plate to have means to confine the sample or liquid used in treating the sample to a specific area on the slide or plate. This has been accomplished previously by creating a slide or plate having one or more depressions, or “wells” therein. Alternatively, a physical barrier or hydrophobic material may be applied to the slide surface in a bordered pattern to confine the liquid applied to the plate within the area surrounded by the border. Such borders may comprise a coating of Teflon, paint, wax, paraffin, epoxy resin, or other resinous material. Each of these materials results in a border having a thickness resulting in a raised border extending a distance above the surface of the glass, for example, a Teflon layer is generally from about 0.001 to about 0.0025 inches high. These raised areas are generally opaque and the end result is a loss of the transparent nature of the slide where the border is applied. In spite of the fact that these raised borders may be somewhat effective in confining the liquid, there continues to be a need for a slide or plate which achieves confinement of the liquid upon a slide while maintaining transparency of the glass or plate. It is the object of the present invention to provide such a slide.